Dispenser for napkins and the like



G. G. ERDS DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS AND THE LIKE Filed April 14, 1,923

HISATTORNE Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

narran srrss -j afstaan PATENT OFFIQE.

GEORG-E G. ERDOS, OF BRQOKLYN, NEW YQRK, ASSGMR TO INDEPENDENT PAPER MILLS INC., OF BROKLYN, NEW YORK, A. COREORACTION 0F NEW YORK.

DISPENSER FOR NAPKNS AND El-IE LIKE.

Application filed April 14, 1923.

To all rv/wm z'' muy concer/1.'

Be it known that l, Geenen G. Ennos, a citizen of Hungary9 residing` in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Dispensers for Napkins and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a dispenser for napkins and like articles, and while the devices made in accordance therewith are particularly adapted for dispensing` table napkins the use thereof is not so limited, inasmuch as, for example,1 they may be employed for dispensing paper towels or sheets of paper for any desired use. Heretofore various forms of containers or holders for paper napkins, towels and similar articles.V

have been employed, but in the use of the same it has been possible for the user to take one, two, or more articles as he may see 'lit in helping himself thereto. rlhis obviously results in an unnecessary waste and consequent additional expense to the proprietor vho supplies the napkins or towels or similar articles for his patrons. Heretofore various forms of containers or holders for paper napkins, towels and similar articles have been supplied to discharge individual units of such articles, that is to discharge the articles one by one, but all these devices required more or less complicated folding, arranging and placing of the said articles, in order to obtain the desired possibility of individual discharge.

The object of my present invention is to provide a dispenser of simple construction which requires a folding machine and napkin arrangement of less complication and expense than those heretofore used. The form of the device made in accordance with my invention is particularly adapted to dispense napkins folded in a rectangular form and placed in a superimposed pile in which the edges of the napkins are in alignment with each other and are so maintained in position that corresponding edges of the outermost sheets are separated so as to make them available to be grasped by the hand of the user and withdrawn from the dispenser one at a time, as will be hereinafter more particularly described,

In the drawing:

Serial No. 631,991.

G is a longitudinal section of another form of the invention.

l-Tig. 7 is a plan of the same, and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic elevation illustrating the advantage in the use of the dispenser made in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawingl and particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3 in which l have illustrated the preferred form of the invention l so far as l am at present aware, it will. be seen that the dispenser may be made to comprise a base l() and a standard ll extending' therefrom in order that the apparatus may be placed on a table. counter or sunilar support to be readily acccf-ssible in use. At the upper end the standard is provided with a head l2, and intermediate the base and the head l2 the standard may fm'thcr- Ymore be provided with longitudinal ribs in-., dica-ted at 13. It will be noted that in the form of the invention the face of the head l2 is made at an inclination to the horizontal. This head is adapted to be connected to a support plate ll by means of screws 15:

or otherwise in such a manner that the face of the support is at substantially the same inclination to the horizontal as the face of the head. Extending from the support plate 14 I employ a plurality of posts. The support plate is preferably rectangular in configuration, although not so limited, and one of the posts as indicated at 16 is placed in a central position longitudinally of the plate and is adapted to serve as a stop and a guide' post for the napkins or towels when placed on the support plate, ashereinafter described. Adjacent the longitudinal edges of the support plate the other sets of posts as indicated all 17 and 18 mi@ suitably secured, these posts also acting to guide and determine the position of the napkins or towels when placed on the support plate. lt will be understood that the posts 1G, 17 and 18, may be employed in any desired number and set in any suitable arrangement, and also that they may be connected to the support plate in any manner whatsoever so that they will extend therefrom in positions parallel to the standard when the same is adapted to stand in a vertical position so that the posts are also vertical; or if the standard is adapted to assume any other than a vertical position in use the posts are so placed in the support plate that each one when in use will assume a vertical position.

l also employ a member which may be termed a 'floating cover comprising a top 19 which conforms in outline with the supuort plate 1d and is ot appreciably larger dimensions, together with end walls 2O and 2l and side walls 22 and 23. rlhe top nlate 19 is provided with a plurality of openings, there being an opening Yfor each of the posts 16, 1T and 18, each hole being` ot the same conliguration as the cross section of these posts so that the posts also serve as guides tor the tioating cover. lt will be noted in this ligure ot the drawing that the cover is so made that in conjunction with the support plate it assumes a rhomboid shape in cross section. it the upper edge ot' the iloating cover or that at which the angle is acute between the top plate 19 and the end wall 21 there is a slot or opening 24. rIhis slot extends an appreciable distance into the top plate 19 and a relatively smaller distance into the end plate 21 and also extends across the top plate sufficiently tar to be a length approximately equal to the width of the napkins or towels adapted to be placed in the dispenser.

In the use of the device hereinbe'lore described, the tloating cover may be removed and a bundle of napkins 25, for example, placed upon the support plate, it being understood that the side posts 1T and 18 act as guides to position the napkins longitudinally which are folded to a Yform to conform to the configuration o1e the support plate and that the post 1G acts as a guide and a stop for the same. The floatine` cover is then replaced and by the action of gravity presses upon the superimposed napkins to maintain` the same in position. The weight of the floating cover also causes the greater portions of the underlying nap kins to be evenly compressed beneath the same. Alt the upper edges, however, ot the napkins or sheets due to the configuration of the slot or opening 2d,- the pressure is reduced along the edges of the outermost napkins causing the .aine to slightly separate, it being understood that the extent of the slot in the end wall 2l is sullicient or approximately so to merely make it possible to grasp the edge ot the outermost, in this instance the uppermost napkin, and to then withdraw the saine from the dispenser, it lz-eing understood that when the outermost napkin thus withdrawn the next succeeding` napkin takes its place and in like manner may be withdrawn .trom the leviee:

Referring to Figs. et and 5, in which another form oi? the invention is illustrated, it will be seen that l may employ a casing or container including a base or bottom wall 2T and suitable side walls 2S, the container being normally open at the top. rPhe bottom or base 27 is adapte-1l to assume an inclined position when the container is allixed to a suitable support, as tor example, a pil lar or a side wall. Extending from the bottom wall 2T are guide posts 29 and 50. These are so placed as to assume an upright or vertical position when the dispen is fixed in place tor use and serve as meins for positioning the pile ot' superinipozwik napkins or other similar sheets ot paper er other like material and also to act as guides 'for a cover member 531 adapted to rest upon the superimposed oile et napkins or shecis to maintain the same in position in the container. In this instance the 'l'orward edge of the bottom wall and the adjatent portions ot' the end wall are slotted as indicated at 32 for the same purpose as the slot -l provided in the lloating cover in the preferred 'form ot the invention as hereinhetore described.

Or as shown in Figs. and T, for example, the dispenser may consist ot a container Il?) mounted on a suitable support and litted with a cover 35 which, when in olace, remains in position. In this instance, also, the bottom wall of the container is preterably inclined and iitted with posts 3G and 3T acting guides and spacers tor the weight 38 and the superimposed. pile ot napkins or other paper articles placed in the container and adapted to be dispensed there from one at a time through the slot 39 which, in this instance, is in the lower torward corner like the corresponding opening in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It will now be apparent that in the device as illustrated, as well as in other equiva lent forms of devices in which my present invention may be incorporated, the napkins, towels or other articles ot paper or similar material are placed upon the support plate in a superimposed pile and maintained in position by the floating cover or equivalent device which is guided upon the posts ani exerts a substantially even pressure agaibnst the underlying superimposed pile ot nap- Lessors kills or other articles. The pressure thus exerteril is substantially equal over the area of the napkins except at the end or side of the dispenserl from which they are adapted to be drawn. In View of the inclination of the napkins and the slotted feature of the floating covering or its equivalent structure the pressure at one end and along one edge of the outermost napkins or sheets whether they are uppermost or lim'ermost is relieved or lessened and causes this edge of the ontermost napkins to bulge or to be separated causing the end of the outermost napkin to extend through or partially through the slot or openingl in order that it may be readily grasped and Withdrawn from the dispenser, the slot being so formed in any instance that it is substantially impossible to grasp and Withdraw more than one napkin at a time from the dispenser.

In all of the forms of the invention as herein shown and described the devices are rectangular in plan, being adapted to accommodate napkins or other similar paper articles folded to this form. It Will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to devices which are rectangular in plan as paper articles may be folded to other configurations and the plan of the dispenser made to accommodate the same Without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention. Y

It Will be readily apparent that in the use of a dispenser for paper napkins and the like in which a horizontal support is employedthe exposed thickness of the pile of napkins at the end thereof from which the outermost napkins are to be Withdrawn is the same thickness of the pile of folded napkins. It Will therefore be apparent that employing a dispenser in Which the support Vfor the pile of napkins or other similar articles is placed at an inclination the thickness of the exposed end of the pile of napkins from Which the uppermost napkins are to be Withdrawn is increased thereby facilitating the individual Withdrawal of the upper or outermost napkin. For example as indicated in Fig. 8 the thickness of the exposed end of the pile of napkins increases in a proportion that is dependent on the angle of the inclination of the base to the vertical. As shown in this ligure of the drawing if E represents the thickness of the exposed end of the pile of napkins, T the normal thickness of the pile, and a the angle to the vertical at Which the support is placed, then E E- a.

OS. Consequently the the uppermost napkin and withdrawing it individually from the pile.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a device for dispensing sheets of paper and like material, an inclinedV base adapted to support a pile of superimposed sheets placed thereon, and a cover device adapted to extend over and to rest upon the top of the said superimposed pile of sheets, and having an opening therein whereby a portion of the outermost sheet adjacent the said opening in the cover is caused to separate from the next adjacent sheet, thereby facilitating the Withdrawal of the outermost sheet from the superimposed pile thereof.

2, In a device for dispensing sheets of paper and like material, an inclined base, spacer members, fixed in and extending from the said base for positioning a pile of superimposed sheets placed on the said base, and a cover device adapted to extend over and to rest upon the top of the said superimposed pile of sheets, except at one end thereof, Where the said cover device is provided vvith a recess to cause the end portion of the outermost sheet to separate from the adjacent portion of the next succeeding sheet, thereby facilitating the Withdrawal of the outermost sheet from the superimposed pile thereof` 3. A device for dispensing paper sheets and the like, an inclined integral base, spacer members fixed in and extending from the inclined base for positioning a pile of superimposed sheets placed on the said base, and a cover device adapted to extend entirely over, and to rest upon the top of the said superimposed pile of sheets, to be movable on the said spacer members for exerting a pressure on the superimposed pile of sheets, the said cover member having an opening therein, adjacent one end thereof, for causing the adjacent portion of an end of the uppermost sheet to separate from the adjacent end of the next succeeding sheet to facilitate the Withdrawal of the uppermost sheet from the superimposed pile thereof.

l. In a device for dispensing paper sheets and the like, an inclined integral base, spacer members, fixed in and extending from the said base for positioning a pile of superimposed paper sheets placed on the said base, and a cover device adapted to extend entirely over and to rest upon the top of the said pile of superimposed sheets, to be guided by the said spacer members to exert a substantially uniform pressure over the entire surface of the said pile of superimposed sheets, except at one end thereof, Where the said cover device is recessed to relieve the pressure and to cause the adjacent edge portion of the uppermost sheet to separate appreciably from the next succeeding sheet thereof, necessitating the withdrawal of the uppermost sheet from the superimposed pile thereof.

5. In a device for dispensing paper sheets and the like, an inclined integral base, posts all fixed inand extending from the said base for positioning` pile of superimposed sheets placed thereon, and a. cover member adapted to extend entirely over and to rest upon the top of the said superimposed pile of sheets and having an opening at one end thereof producing a lessened pressure be neath the opening than beneath other portions thereof causing the corresponding end portion of the uppermost sheet to separate from the adjacent portion of the next succeeding sheet thereby facilitating the Withdrawal of the uppermost sheet from the superimposed pile thereof.

G. In a device for dispensing` paper sheets and the like, an inclined support, posts extending` from the said support for positioning a pile of paper sheets placed on the said support, and a cover comprising top and side Walls adapted to enclose a pile of superimposed sheets placed upon the said support and provided with an opening at one end for lessening the pressure on corresponding end portions of' outermost sheets permitting the same to separate and thereby facilitating the Withdrawal of one sheet at a time from the device.

7. In a device for dispensing paper sheets and the like, an inclined support, posts extending from the said support for positioning a pile of paper sheets placed on the said support, and a cover comprising top and side walls and adapted to enclose a pile of sheets placed upon the said support, there being openings in the top plate through Which the said posts pass in order that the posts may act as guides for the said cover, the said cover fitting over the support and provided in one end With a slot extending appreciably in the top plate and slightly7 in the adjacent end Wall for re ducing the pressure on the end portions of the outermost sheets causing the same to separate and thereby facilitate the Withdrawal of one sheet at a time from the device.

8. ln a device for dispensing paper sheets and the like, an inclined support, a series ot posts connected to and extending from the said inclined support for positioning a pile of superimposed paper sheets thereon, and a cover comprising top and side Walls adapted to enclose the superimposed pile of sheets and to be guided by the said posts to exert a pressure upon the said pile of sheets, the cover being provided with a recess extending an appreciable distance in the top member and a slight distance in the adjacent end Wall to decrease the pressure beneath the opening to cause the edge portions of the underlying sheets to bulge or separate thereby permitting the outermost sheet to be easily grasped and Withdrawn from the device.

Signed by me this 31st day of March, 1923.

GEORGE G. ERDOS. 

